Lazy Sunday

It's been a lovely day today, just pottering around, set off to have a wander in the local garden centre and maybe find some little succulents for my kitchen windowsill. Imogen stayed at home, groaning about why old people like garden centres... cheeky little miss, we're not old people and I've always been rather fond of these places with all their different departments, plants, gifts, small animals, furniture and a place for a nice cup of tea.

It's a lovely drive, there are masses of wildflowers growing in many of the grass verges along the road sides. I've noticed them throughout the city and they're a pleasure to see.

We were surprised when we arrived to see lots of Christmas displays. They are still busy putting more out and there's still quite a bit of space to be filled. We could see where Father Christmas' grotto is going to be and are looking forward to taking Zack a bit closer to Christmas, not that I think it'll really mean anything to him this year.

There were lots of displays and decorations with the theme of pink and white, quite pretty.

I liked these Father Christmas figures and the girls with their long swinging legs.

More trees

I found some baby succulents in tiny little pots, so repotted them for the kitchen when we arrived home just after peeling all the veg and potatoes for our Sunday dinner.

Just the thing for this chilly day, a nice hot roast chicken dinner with steaming hot gravy, it was delicious. After dinner, Imogen filled the dishwasher while Andrew stripped the chicken carcass for the dogs to enjoy their chicken dinner too.

With my cup of tea, I went to sit down with my crochet. I started this a while ago, but it was set aside while I continued with other projects (always so many things on the go). With the turn in the weather it's quite nice to have the weight of the blanket over my knees. I'm enjoying using different colours and stitches. Here it is folded in half.

Oh I shall have so many ends to sew in, I have to face facts, I'll never be a stitching in as I go person.

I'm going to watch the Strictly results now and the last part of Vanity Fair tonight. There's been lots of good dramas on recently, my favourite being Killing Eve. It's showing on BBC1 at the moment, but we watched it on Iplayer, kept up a really good pace, definitely recommend.


Take care
xxx

Birthday Lap Quilt and Slimmer of the Month

I've noticed there are a few of us out here in blogland following the Slimming World plan to lose weight and adapt to a healthier lifestyle. I thought I'd share with you my latest success as I joined Slimming World at the end of April and have been following the food plan since then

I go to a lovely group with really supportive people and I have to say a rather wonderful consultant who always fills me with inspiration each week. This was my third slimmer of the month award, I'm getting a wardrobe full of certificates!

Thank you for all the kind wishes for my parents. Mum's home from hospital and trying to take it easy while also caring for my Dad, if you ask them, they say they're 'muddling through', it's not easy, but they're coping.

On a lighter note, it's Dad's birthday today so I thought I'd show you the lap quilt I've made for him.

It's brushed cotton so lovely and soft. I bought the fabric in a pack from Hobbycraft and thought it would make a lovely lap quilt for my dad when it gets cooler. I sandwiched a layer of light wadding in it so it's not too heavy. It was posted at the beginning of the week so arrived in plenty of time for Dad's birthday today and he says he loves it. We also sent him the full box set of The Detectorists, a lovely gentle humoured series set in the English countryside that I know he'll enjoy.

Take care
xxx

Still Indoors

I think I should start this post with a brrrrrrr.... we appear to have escaped the worse of the weather here in our little corner of East Yorkshire, but my, it's chilly! A large part of the country has snow and has come to a standstill (as we often do when the flakes fall as we just aren't prepared for it due to it's infrequency here). The 'beast from the east' as the media have named it, gave us a smattering of snow, but we do have icy cold temperatures. Andrew and I have hunkered down, neither of us having shaken off this irritating bad chest and cold, keeping warm and busy indoors.

Here's a photo of our lovely fountain in the Queen's Gardens area of our city covered in ice

There is a small area where the water is still pushing through

Our garden pond is frozen over with a tiny section where the pump pushes the water out left in the middle. I wonder if our fish are surviving...

We've been slowly going through boxes in our loft, not much has been done over the last month due to illness, but I did come across these hangers.

They would have once held my clothes when I was a baby and I've used them for Adam and Imogen. I wondered if Adam and Holly wanted them for Zackary, but no, so I'm holding onto them for now.

Even though we're both coughing and spluttering, babysitting duties had to carry on. My main worry was that the poor little mite would catch this horrible virus from us so I've somehow managed to restrain myself from kissing him to pieces and so far he seems to have avoided catching anything. It's a difficult situation as Adam and Holly have to go to work and there isn't anyone else who can look after Zack. I took this picture during the week, I think it's one of my favourites. Poor Grandpoppy feeling rather worse for wear, but cuddling the beautiful boy while they sit and listen to music together.

I've done a little more on my cross stitching, but mainly crochet this past week.

I came across this short video when I was looking through Facebook the other day. It's pictures of Hull, before and now, I thought it was well made. Credit goes to the Time Travel Artist on Facebook.

 I hope everyone is well and warm, especially those who have been badly affected by our recent weather.

Take care
xxx

Keeping Warm

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes, they're very appreciated and every one made me smile as I read them.

I'm glad my birthday was when it was as we've all been struck down with hacking coughs and colds since then. Andrew started it off and passed it along, temperatures, headaches, sore throats, coughs and runny noses. It seems to be passing just leaving the horrible coughs (they always seem to linger), but meant half term was a bit of a washout and we spent most of our time in the house watching films, reading, eating homemade soup and keeping warm.

I'm discipling myself to stay with stitching Zackary's Christmas stocking and not to start any more stitching projects until this one is finished... even though I can hear them calling for me...

Still quite a bit to do, but it's really taking shape now.

To give my eyes a break from the stitching, I've started to crochet another blanket, something for my hands to do in an evening when we sit down to watch TV.

I have my first Hyacinth bulbs of the year growing in a pot

We're not the only ones staying in the warm, these 3 just wouldn't smile for the camera today.

Little Gary (the white one) doesn't like to go outside without his jumper on and likes to nestle up next to Honey and Alfie. I've put an old cushion in their bed to make it more snug.

Hope you're all keeping nice and snug too.


Take care
xxx

Is it Nearly Christmas?

I can't believe we're just a few days away from Christmas, I just don't seem able to find my Christmas Spirit this year. I've been quite organised, cards were written and posted early on, presents are always bought over a few months, but they've all been wrapped for a while. Normally the tree and decorations go up at the beginning of December, but this year we waited a bit, not feeling the excitement we used to. I wonder if it's because Imogen is 15 now, no more putting reindeer food out or excitedly writing lists to Father Christmas?

We do have our first grandchild, which is the most wonderful thing to happen, but at 4 months old, he doesn't know it's Christmas! I'm hoping we'll be spending some time tomorrow with Zackary and Izzy, Izzy is 8 so a lovely age, full of excitement and I'm hoping some will rub off on me.

The tree in the dining room

Imogen has finished school today for the Christmas holiday so that's rather lovely. We're planning to do some baking together tomorrow and I'm sure we'll play some festive music at the same time.

I've finished Zack's quilt. It's very soft and will be just the thing to have under him when he lays on the floor.

The background is brushed cotton, so feels really nice against the skin.

If all that isn't enough to put me in a Christmas mood, I do have this beautiful photo my son sent me... a real life little Christmas elf...

Have a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy Christmas

Take care
xxx

Scottie Dogs Christmas Prep

Here we are again, I seem to be just managing a post a week at the moment. It's so lovely to see I have a new follower too, hello.

I've been trying to have a bit of a tidy up and declutter this week in preparation for the Christmas decorations going up next month. I found some things that are no longer used, needed or wanted, so put them on eBay. I'm not sure if they'll sell or not, they have a week and will be donated to a local charity shop if they don't go. I do try to be ruthless, but I'm an old sentimentalist at heart so I'm not very good at it. I decided it was time to say goodbye to one of my craft totes/bags, it's just a small one that I often have sitting next to me on the sofa with some ongoing project or another in it (as well as my other paraphernalia such as notebooks, pens, crochet hooks, tissues and my phone). I added it to the charity pile when Andy commented 'oh, are you getting rid of that', so that made me wonder if he thought I shouldn't, oh no, will I regret it once it's gone. I was very good and let it go... am I the only one who has trouble letting things go, forming attachments to 'things'?

I found this blanket in one of my cupboards. it had an awful lot of ends that needed sewing in. It seemed a shame to leave it languishing in there, taking up precious storage space. Out it came and I spent a hour or 2 sewing and weaving in all the ends.

I'm glad I spent the time doing it, I'm really pleased with it now and know a little girl who will enjoy wrapping herself up in it on chilly afternoons.

I've also been making some other preparations for Christmas. I need to make some pretty bunting with blue in it, also for a special little girl. I found some fabric in my stash with pretty blue flowers and little paisley patterns.

It's all cut out and waiting to be stitched up.

I've made this sweet little scottie dog for Christmas too. I cut 2 dogs out in felt and stitched them together with a blanket stitch. Gently stuffed them and also put in a small muslin bag that I stitched and filled with lavender. This little chappie smells quite divine and is just the thing to hang in a wardrobe or on a hook somewhere.

I think I shall make some more in different colours.

Thank you for popping by and please stop and say hello.

Take care
xxx

Another Busy Week

Thank you so much for all your lovely positive messages for Imogen, she's doing much better now, walking around as normal and exercising hard at her physio. I think the fact that Hull Fair is around this week has helped with the motivation to work hard at her exercises!

Hull fair arrives every year for a week in October, it's the largest travelling fair in Europe and has been coming to Hull for over 700 years! Here’s a snippet about its history

This carnival of merriment is the largest travelling fair in Europe and one of the oldest. The fair celebrated its seven hundredth anniversary in 1993. The first charter granting permission for a fair to be held, from 9 to 23 March, was granted in 1278. The anniversary celebrated by Hull City Council dates from 1293, when Edward I allocated six weeks in May and June for the festivities. By the 16th century the festivities had become a 16 day fair, with 20 September as the start of the annual feast after an additional Charter was granted by Charles II.

It's an interesting piece of local history and you can read more about it here.

I don't feel I've done much craft wise the last week. We've had a friend from America staying with us much of last week, only leaving yesterday and there was lots to catch up with. I have finished decorating my 'C' with a lick of paint and some pretty flowers for my craft room.

A soft, fleecy blanket for my gorgeous grandson that he used for the first time when he stayed late one evening. It was a lovely piece of fleece that I bought when Holly was pregnant and was just sitting waiting for me to hem it. As we'll be looking after Zack 2 1/2 days a week as well another babysitting duties, I'm keeping his fleece here to use when he comes to our house.

Not much progress on my cross stitching from the last time I showed you, may end up being for next Christmas rather than this one if I don't get a move on.

It's been a tiring week and weekend so today has been quite restful before this weeks schedule starts tomorrow with Imogen's parents evening, my first mammogram on Wednesday physio appointments and the telephone engineer coming to finally upgrade us to fibre.

Take care
xxx